the wellingtonista -

Dancehall Cinema

mitch — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:59:08 +0800

For those of you more inclined towards UK roots reggae culture than euro-beats, there's a little something for you at the Film Archive this Thursday 7th.

The Archive, in collaboration with NiceUp - local reggae forum and dancehall specialists - present the premiere Australasian screening of Musically Mad, a doco that examines sound system culture and the UK roots reggae scene, interviewing some of the shining lights of the community, past and present, and providing an historical context for the Caribbean-influenced musical culture. The film is brand spanking new and Nice Up are keen to show it off to the local scene, so much so that they (and their sponsors) invite you to come down early, at 6pm, to the Archive - on the corner of Ghuznee and Taranaki Sts - for food, drink and socialising prior to the movie screening at 7pm. Read more here.

Tickets are on sale now from the NZ Film Archive for $8/$6 concession, as well as available on the night.

La Musique Automatique - avec une Tigre!

mitch — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:23:24 +0800

If you like your music multi-lingual then boy are you in for a treat or, indeed, un petit plaisir next week when Berlin-based duo Stereo Total hit town on Saturday 16th. I fell in love with the kooky electro-garage rock-à-billy popstars a few years ago when I discovered an album of theirs that sounded like the B52s mixed with Peaches with a couple of Sugarcubes stirred in. Their "homemade" ironic pop combines French chanson with German electronika, with a euro-linguistic twist, so that on one album you get a song that croons "j'aime l'amour à trois" then a few songs later the same track pops up declaring "I love love with the three of us"! You can listen to some of their new songs on their Myspace page and buy tickets for $30+bf at Slowboat (Cuba St) for next week's gig at the San Fran Bathhouse.

AND they're bringing JD Sampson, one-third of feminist nu-york-punk-icons Le Tigre with them, fresh from her MEN DJ/remix project and a visit to NZ for the Big Day Out '08 with Peaches and Herm.

ALLONS-Y!

I Heart Live Music

mitch — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:11:22 +0800

You know that most gig promoters live in Auckland, eh? And that Aucklanders don't know we exist, right?

As a response to the Aucklocentricism (it's a word, ok) of the touring scene, a bunch of local promoters have sprung up, banded together and generally defied the odds to bring some amazing internationals to intimate Wellington venues over the last few years. Which means we don't have to travel to see our favourite band, and taking a punt on an unknown quantity is a lot easier and way less expensive than trekking up the island. Plus the likelihood of having a quiet beer next to the main act after a show is ramped up several notches when it's at SFBH or Bodega.

Which brings me to I Heart Hiroshima. They came over from Australia in April to support Ratatat in Auckland, but they couldn't make it down here. Ratatat, however, played to a sold-out crowd at Bodega and knocked our socks off. They told IHH about it, and the band begged indie Wellington promoter Palomino Agency to bring them down to see us. They're playing at Bodega next week - Friday 18th - so do us all a favour and go see them! Their songs have been all over tv and radio recently, but if you haven't heard them, and you liked Ratatat - or you like the fab local supports Thought Creature or Little Pictures - take a punt. Tickets are only $20+bf right now from Slowboat on Cuba St so why wouldn't you?

Strike: banging, crashing and beautiful music

Dan — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:54:22 +0800

Charlie Watts was once asked in an interview whether he ever tuned his drums. When Charlie replied in the negative the interviewer asked him "why not?"

"Because every time I hit 'em, they go out of tune."

I am minded of this story every time I hear the Strike guys striking up for they give their gear a fearful walloping at times (as well as plenty of beautiful, subtle and fun moments, too).

"Elemental", Strike's new show is well in to it's first week and audiences of all ages are loving it. Described by Simon Sweetman in the Dominion as "an amazing show" and Aaron Watson in the Capital Times as "endlessly inventive" and "not to be missed" this show is a smash hit.

There are seventeen percussion pieces in the show, including newly-commissioned compositions from Gareth Farr and composer-in-residence Takumi Motokawa, and the ensemble play hydrophones, pyrophones, dippophones, Bedford trucks, and even the occasional percussion instrument, as part of a tremendously theatrical concert experience.

The season continues at Downstage until 26 July and you can find more information here.

Full disclosure: I work for Downstage and you'll often find me at the top of the Hannah Playhouse staircase, welcoming patrons to the venue.

Cut for Winter

mitch — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:16:40 +0800

As the killer Wellington wind stalks the Wellingtonista towers by day we've been seeking solace in beautiful music, as you do. And since a copy of Cassette's brand new EP Cancer landed in my cold little hands I've been able to listen to very little else - other than the howling wind, natch. As their press release says, "If you like eagles, there's 3 on the cover". And if you like Cassette, you can catch them at Bodega next week to launch those very same eagles.

Details after the leap

Good Morning Everybody!

mitch — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:52:33 +0800

Have you been to Aunt Daisy's Boathouse cafe yet?
Martha did and thought it "tres awesome" - her franglish, not mine.

If you haven't visited the charming 1950s-style tearooms in Titahi bay yet, perhaps you need a mid-winter weekend of music to tempt you? As if the sea views, Supreme Coffee and kids' playground weren't enough, Aunt Daisy is popping the mulled wine on to heat and putting some live music on the boil from 4pm this Fri/Sat/Sun. Kids get in free and grown-ups can fork over a mere $7 for sweet sounds the likes of Rosy Tin Teacaddy, Achilles Botes and Jess Chambers. Go here for more details.

The only sane answer to this insane windy weather, I think!

May Contain Traces of Nuts

mitch — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:58:33 +0800

Finally Wellington gets its own MySpace Secret Show, and what a show it is - NZ's own world-class, world-famous, worldly-wise electro rappers, masters of the mellow-drama and hip hopera Coco Solid play for free at an as-yet-undisclosed Wellington venue (that's the secret, duh) next Wednesday (18th). They also have a psychedelic kaleidoscope of a new video on their MySpace page for their new single 'Electrik Love'; it's made by Aleks Sakowski who also made the overwhelmingly brilliant 'Crimefighters' vid - which I feel compelled to include here as it's my absolute fave and it wins people over like nothing else:

More Coco love, and details on how to get into the gig, after the jump:

Music in Miramar @ Eva Dixons every Thursday

Mike Riversdale — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:17:48 +0800

Eva Dixons lives on in Miramar (133 Darlington Road - Google Map | Zoomin Map) - just up the road road from the newly visited Weta Cave which, as Richard Taylor said to me, "It's a bit different for Miramar eh?" ... such a shameless name dropper I am.

Back to Eva Dixons ... Not only is it a great place to eat (all day menu), drink and be merry but if you happen to pop in on any Thursday eve (menu) this month you'll be treated to free live music.

12th: Mojo Mama
Piano based boogie and blues with enough sass to light your fire.

19th: Sean & Amanda O'Connor
Inspirational folk/pop songwriters & harmonisers, singing their inner and outer journeys with guitar, flute, heart and soul!

26th: Eva Prowse Trio
Eva Prowse (vocals, violin, mandolin), Chris Prowse (guitar, bva), Dave Currie (bass, ukulele, bva) playing a variety of alt-country music. Suitable for old-timers and new-timers alike.

Brave New World

mitch — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:42:42 +0800

I read a great review of the new album by the Bravery , The Sun and the Moon, where the reviewer claimed that the band were the Stone Temple Pilots to The Killers' Pearl Jam. How great is that - grunge bands-as-metaphors! And a metaphor that I can certainly relate to (err, not that I'm the Weiland to anyone's Vedder, but y'know, I appreciate the analogy). And yeah, the Bravery are one of that bunch of Nu-Wave-New-York bands that seem too fashionable to be true, but unlike the Killers et al, they're actually really good - less fashion magazine, more FASHION (bop bop bop) a la Bowie.
Ok before I get into glam similes and really lose the plot, all I wanted to point out was: The Bravery are playing in Wellington this weekend - Saturday night at San Fran Bathhouse to be exact, with support from local synth-core darlings Heat Like Me. Get your party pants on and check them out, tickets are available from Ticketmaster or on the door from 7:30pm Sat 14th.
A wee heads up for Friday night too - Liam Finn plays Bodega, fresh from a US tour with ... Eddie Vedder!

This Is What it Sounds Like When Nuns Fly

mitch — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:12:00 +0800

For the last few weeks there's been an air of rockin' excitement passing around Capital City... and lots of flights being booked down here from that place up north that houses the Aucklandista. Reminiscing on social networking sites has reached a frenzied peak and the rumours have been proved true - the Hasselhoff Experiment are reforming for a once-only show this weekend in Wellington.
More after the jump....